Joyofsixreboot Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Ok, I'm hitting up the hive which presumably is smarter than random i nternet sites. I hurt my back and had horrible pain down my left leg. Sciatica I'm thinking. It feels better but my left foot is numb and my left leg is weak. Pinched nerve I'm thinking but what is best to do? Live with it? MD? Chiropractor? I don't want to spend $$ for not much help, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 When I hurt my back, leg/foot numbness and weakness were two of the things my doctor told me to see her immediately for. :grouphug: I hope you feel better soon! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 You need to see doctor ASAP. I hurt my back, waited till I was paralyzed on right side to seek help. I had emergency back surgery and 16 years later part of my foot is still numb. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Doctor time. Neurosurgeon or orthopaedic who specializes in lower backs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom'sGirl Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 I agree to get it seen. Last summer I hurt my back. Actually, my back didn't really hurt but the pain shooting down my left leg for 3 days was horrible. Saw the doctor, got an MRI and was sent to a neurosurgeon within a week with a blown disk in my lower back. My back and leg quit hurting, but my part of my left foot and lower leg were numb. The neurosurgeon recommended to have the surgery to clean the leaked disk fluid. Surgery was last October and my foot is still numb. I think I made the right decision for surgery because sometimes the leaked fluid can cause pain in the future. From my understanding the sooner the surgery the better. That said, I think back exercises and focus on posture are critical. I have been negligent on stretching and recovery and am paying for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Ok, I'm hitting up the hive which presumably is smarter than random i nternet sites. I hurt my back and had horrible pain down my left leg. Sciatica I'm thinking. It feels better but my left foot is numb and my left leg is weak. Pinched nerve I'm thinking but what is best to do? Live with it? MD? Chiropractor? I don't want to spend $$ for not much help, KWIM? Chiropractor. And it will probably take many adjustments to complete the correction. An MD can prescribe drugs and x-rays and surgery. A good chiropractor will take x-rays first to be sure what he's dealing with, and then he will adjust your back--no surgery, no pain drugs necessary. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Chiropractor. And it will probably take many adjustments to complete the correction. An MD can prescribe drugs and x-rays and surgery. A good chiropractor will take x-rays first to be sure what he's dealing with, and then he will adjust your back--no surgery, no pain drugs necessary. I disagree. Leg weakness is not a problem that a chiropractor can competently manage. X-rays cannot see everything. OP, you need to see a conventional doctor, immediately. If it turns out he cannot help you, then seek alternative care. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 If you have an ESTABLISHED relationship with an excellent, responsible, not-threatened-by-traditional-medicine chiropractor who can see you yesterday, that might be an okay route to go. Otherwise, see an MD yesterday. Depending on your coverage rules, you might want to call a neurologist directly and find out if you can get in asap without seeing your family doctor. Call both places today and see what they can do. Go to an emergency dept. if you don't get taken seriously or they don't have an immediate opening. My dad saw a doc immediately AND had surgery within days of this sort of thing happening to him, and 25 years later, he still has drop-foot. BTW, if this turns out to be a pinched nerve that isn't a disc problem, you can expect it to take time for the feeling to come back, and at some point, you can have numbness/burning/tingling when your foot gets cold or the weather changes. I had a pinched nerve in my foot from new shoes once, and years later, the toe that went numb (and had healed) started to have weird sensations when cold and the weather changed. I was terrified I was getting some kind of peripheral neuropathy, but I found out it's just common with nerve damage. I'd ice things while I waited for doctor information and also start supplementing with magnesium (good for nerves). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Back issues in my family, so here's my experience for what it''s worth. DH had sciatic pain about 13 years ago. Saw a Chiropracter and made it worse. Saw an MD, who agreed Sciatic pain. Pain meds didn't help much. Months later, his foot went numb. He was rushed to surgery for blown discs. Results. Foot and leg is still numb 12 years later. He has foot drop ( foot doesn't respond like it should when he walks, specifically up stairs) and there is ongoing pain when he bends and turns wrong. By removing all the fluid, there is no buffer between the discs. So when he bends, the discs come together, pinch the nerve and he is down on his knees instantly. He had years of PT and eventually we found a really good chiropractor who has helped him tremendously not only for pain, but clearly understand what is going on. Currently our oldest son has been having nerve pain, foot goes numb, etc, for over 2 years. He has been seeing our wonderful Chiropractor for over a year and has seen only limited improvement. He just went to a spine specialist in the past month. His disc has some degeneration, and the chiropractor is helping keeping it as healthy as you can at this point. However, the degeneration causes the nerve to be positioned wrong in the spinal colum. It is too close to the disc and bending , walking, standing, cause it to rub on the disc. He is doing PT and exercises at home to get the nerve to move back in to the center of the disc. It will take time, but they expect to turn this around in the next 6 months. My bottom line, I totally believe in a good chiropractor, but it isn't always enough. Surgery should be the very bottom of the list after you have done PT and chiropractor. Finally, I am sorry for what you are going thru. I understand and I pray you get some relief. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 I disagree. Leg weakness is not a problem that a chiropractor can competently manage. X-rays cannot see everything. OP, you need to see a conventional doctor, immediately. If it turns out he cannot help you, then seek alternative care. It's good to see a traditional doctor to cover all her bases, but yes, indeed, a chiropractor can help leg weakness, depending on the cause. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Thank you everyone. I am now well and truly scared. I have to go through my family MD. I will try to get in this week. 😕 His week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 My 15 year old (former) gymnast has those symptoms and she has a herniated disc. She is under the care of a PT although she still has flare ups. She just got her learner's permit this week and is experiencing discomfort when she switches from accelerator to brake pedal. It is very frustrating. So, yes, get a diagnosis and do lots of reading. We are trying to avoid surgery and keep with PT for as long as we can. If we need surgery later we'll go that direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Thank you everyone. I am now well and truly scared. I have to go through my family MD. I will try to get in this week. 😕 His week. Honestly, you are risking permanent nerve damage. I think you should go to the emergency room. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) This happened to me when I was a young teen. I was running through the house in non-tie shoes and twisted my ankle and back badly. From that point on, for 4- 5 *years*, my foot would go numb if I tried to walk so much as a quarter mile without sitting down. I lived with it and it eventually faded away on its own. I have no pain anywhere these days as an adult. Ok, I'm hitting up the hive which presumably is smarter than random internet sites. I hurt my back and had horrible pain down my left leg. Sciatica I'm thinking. It feels better but my left foot is numb and my left leg is weak. Pinched nerve I'm thinking but what is best to do? Live with it? MD? Chiropractor? I don't want to spend $$ for not much help, KWIM? Edited June 15, 2016 by reefgazer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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